Wouldn't Chaotic-Neutral actually be the EASIEST Alignment to RP?
I remember when reading the descriptions of the various alignments, Chaotic Neutral in it's description says:
"This alignment is perhaps the most difficult to play".
I've actually found the opposite to be true, as in most cases CN characters tend to be unreliable at best, or outright insane. This actually allows almost perfect justification for any sense of meta-gaming the PC engages in, and the lack of consistency made by a player in their choices can be explained as a character trait of this particular alignment. You can most readily justify having characters of opposite alignments in the same party, fluctuating reputation from randomly robbing someone blind in one instance, and helping another with their lost kitty the next.
In fact little "roleplaying" is actually needed, as many players who don't actually care to RP their characters tend to use this mindset of "what gives me the most reward?" Little in-story justification needed for their actions, simply do this good deed here, steal from this person there, help this guy then murder him for double reward... so on and so on.
So is it just me or does Chaotic Neutral seem to be the ultimate "I can do anything" alignment? I've enjoyed playing them more than good or evil characters since I never stop to worry if an action would feel "out of character" for my chosen alignment.
"This alignment is perhaps the most difficult to play".
I've actually found the opposite to be true, as in most cases CN characters tend to be unreliable at best, or outright insane. This actually allows almost perfect justification for any sense of meta-gaming the PC engages in, and the lack of consistency made by a player in their choices can be explained as a character trait of this particular alignment. You can most readily justify having characters of opposite alignments in the same party, fluctuating reputation from randomly robbing someone blind in one instance, and helping another with their lost kitty the next.
In fact little "roleplaying" is actually needed, as many players who don't actually care to RP their characters tend to use this mindset of "what gives me the most reward?" Little in-story justification needed for their actions, simply do this good deed here, steal from this person there, help this guy then murder him for double reward... so on and so on.
So is it just me or does Chaotic Neutral seem to be the ultimate "I can do anything" alignment? I've enjoyed playing them more than good or evil characters since I never stop to worry if an action would feel "out of character" for my chosen alignment.
7
Comments
ToEE has several really cool openings based on the alignment you choose for your party. What is the Chaotic Neutral party doing? They're adventurers in a dungeon. Perfectly reflecting that it's a good adventurer alignment imo.
While you can choose to indulge your character's whims this isn't necessarily the same as doing whatever you as the player want. You need to be somewhat consistent as to what your character would be influenced by. A character who goes out of his way to impress any pretty woman, or who consistently breaks the law to acquire shiny objects is more believable than one who does this sometimes but not others.
Playing to alignment you should be at least sceptical of or possibly adversarial to authority figures. I don't see CN and LG party members getting along too well unless one is pretty chilled out (like Keldorn).
Chaotic Neutral is not a synonym for insane. Here's a good description of some flavours of Chaotic Neutral: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ChaoticNeutral
There are two main reasons for this. One, unlike say the Fallout series, which offers "neutral" options for many scenarios, the BG series mostly offers two paths: an obviously good one and an obviously evil one. This means that a TN has no natural path but has to flip-flop between choices which he/she finds unnatural. Two, most interpretations of this alignment lead you towards either good or evil choices. If you take it to mean that your character is primarily concerned with self advancement, having little regard for the constraints of morality, then you become drawn mostly towards selfish, i.e "evil" choices - acting more Neutral Evil than anything else. If you take it to mean "following one's personal moral compass above all else" then you end up as a Jaheira: NG or CG disguised as TN. If you take it to mean "ideologically committed to maintain balance" then the lack of "neutral" questing options means you're required to act white-knight heroic 50% of the time and utterly supervillainous the other 50% - essentially like a "crazy" CN character. Presumably the balance-obsessed TN would need either an all-neutral party, severely limiting gaming options, or a party with both good and evil members, creating potentially unmanageable conflicts.
So yeah, I agree that CN is not all that difficult either gaming or RP wise, certainly not when compared to its troublesome upstairs neighbour in TN.
I can really be quite wicked when I get the urge.
capture/torture events turned the protagonist into chaotic neutral (mad / over-cynical). Then he has some form of self-justification for ditching his former companions, blaming them for leading him into Irenicus' trap. This is why he decides to get surrounded only by seemingly powerful companions with less morales to reach his goal. Spellhold and Hell trials finally make him completly evil.
My CN sorceress is...actually pretty easy going. Mainly I just wanted the cat familiar to be honest, so I formed a character for her after that. I liked to think of her as more quirky and easy going and "free spirited" than a madgirl, however. She generally got a bit sociopathic with wanting people like Keldorn and Rasaad around, and supported Anomen to knighthood. Not necessary as she believed it was the "right thing", but she knew it was what was "right" for them.
To be honest, I usually prefer neutral characters. Sometimes games just seem to want to polarise good vs evil to the extreme (hence stealing from someone vs saving kittens from trees).
It reads as follows;
Chaotic Neutral, "Free Spirit": A chaotic neutral character follows his whims. He is an individualist first and last. He values his own liberty but doesn't strive to protect others' freedom. He avoids authority, resents restrictions, and challenges traditions. A chaotic neutral character does not intentionally disrupt organizations as part of a campaign of anarchy. To do so, he would have to be motivated by either good ( and a desire to liberate others ) or evil ( and a desire to make those different from himself suffer ). A chaotic neutral character may be unpredictable but his behavior is not totally random. He is not as likely to jump off a bridge as to cross it. Grimble, a bard who wanders the land living by his wits, is chaotic neutral. Chaotic neutral is the best alignment you can be because it represents true freedom from both society's restrictions and a do-gooder's zeal.
This is a GREAT view of the CN alignment and much more adult/sophisticated when compared to the previous edition texts, as used in the original Baldur's Gate.
Frankly, I think this should be adopted and overwritten into the game
CN is the one alignment I have difficulty following. There are so many plot points that involve you doing what someone asks you to. I suppose I could justify following someone else's orders as a CN if it coincided with my own personal gain.
I can't justify spending 5000 gold to get a license to do magic in the streets for a CN even though I get it for just about every other non-chaotic character I have. Forget any Radiant Heart quests. Those Paladins don't know how to live. Skinner quest? Do I have to do something to help Johnny Law? Where do you draw the line?
When you look at the many places you go, a pirate island, the cavern under the sea(sure they are LE but you can smoke em all with no consequences), and the Underdark, Chaotic seems a natural way to be. It isn't until you get to hell that the real paradox begins... (I'm making a thread about this next so I won't get too off topic here)
CN:
I'm not doing it.
Random:
Why not?
CN:
I see no personal gain or profit from doing it.
Random: but think of all the children that will die if you don...
Cn:
Not my problem!
Val'myr (as many know) is a Drow Necromancer. He doesn't care for what other people think and disregards their comments about how his fascination with death magic and forbidden rituals is weird. He does whatever he wants whenever he feels like it. He's also kind, helpful, and an all around good guy if you ignore the crazy blood magic he does. He'd never sacrifice someone else's blood without their consent. Unless they are the enemy. Then you know. They don't need their blood.
He's Neutral because despite his good acts he does shady business when it comes to dark magic and his worship of evil gods. He's chaotic because he follows his own moral compass which often does not align with lawful organizations. He sees why Law is a thing and will follow the law when it suits him. If it's more convenient to follow the law then not then he will follow it. Such as in BGII he'd get a licence because it's more easy for him to cast spells with it than without. He'd also happily follow Alora around stealing from places because it's fun. Honestly he might just be True Neutral with Chaotic tendencies but I always mark him as Chaotic Neutral. He's not random, he always does what he feels is best. It's just what he feels best conflicts with laws a lot.
She sides with Silke when Monty tells her they need the money, then kills her when she finds out that the men were innocent all along (they did indeed possess the gems that Silke had requested). She recruits Kivan, who thirsts for revenge, kills Minsc for going berserk when she turns him down, recruits (and possibly romances) Dorn, and brushes off Rasaad. Xzar and Monty leave after the mines, and she picks up Neera and Kagain in Beregost, becomes fast friends with Neera, then heads to the Bandit Camp. After clearing the camp, Kivan says his goodbyes and strides off into the sunset after Tazok while Neilah's group heads toward the Cloakwood, picking up Viconia along the way. Kagain decides to stay behind at the FAI, and Neilah encounters Coran and brings him along. She completely ignores Eldoth and brushes off Yeslick, then takes that party all the way to Sarevok.
EDIT: at least, that's the current plan. It might change as I go, but that's what being CN is about.